Diet Induced Weight Loss to Reduce Inflammation in Obese Women

Study Summary

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently seen cancers in the United States. It occurs at all ages but is particularly common in post menopausal women. Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer among others, and when cancer develops increases the risk of spread and death. Inflammation of fat tissue, the coronary blood vessels and the liver are also seen with obesity. Animal experiments have shown the inflammation in fat tissue increases the production of estrogen. Thus, reducing inflammation in fat tissue might lower estrogen levels and reduce the risk of breast cancer in obese women as well as the spread of other cancers in the body. Weight reduction in obesity has been shown in epidemiology studies to lower the risk of colon cancer and in obese women to lower the risk of breast cancer. However, how that occurs and how much weight loss is necessary is not known. In mice, calorie restriction in obese animals has been shown to reduce inflammation in fat tissue and the breast. In other studies, calorie reduction has been shown to lower the development of cancer. In addition, we really do not know what starts the whole inflammation process. One good possibility is that immune factors that tend to reduce inflammation are less in obesity. We have shown this in the colon and this also has been suggested as occurring in fat stores.

Primary Outcome

Diet-induced weight loss of 10% body weight will result in reduction in abdominal subcutaneous fat inflammation as measured by: reduction in adipocyte size determined by microscopy and of CLS number in adipose tissue. reduction in inflammatory gene expression determined by PCR and selected cytokine protein levels. increased anti-inflammatory lymphocytes determined by immunohistochemistry or by flowcytometry.

Interventions

• OTHER Diet regimen to induce weight loss